Dietary Fiber Cuts Risk of Death, Study Finds

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Nutritionists have long been extolling the virtues of fiber for weight loss -- but now heart docs say a daily dose of roughage could extend your life span.

A study published February 14 in the Arch Intern Medicine Journal found the risk of death was cut by 24 to 56 percent in men, and by 34 to 59 percent in women, when fiber was consumed daily in the diet.

The study identified 20,126 deaths in men and 11,330 deaths in women, over an average of nine years of follow-up.

The conclusions? "Dietary fiber may reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious, and respiratory diseases," and "Making fiber-rich food choices more often may provide significant health benefits."